Georgia
Kirby Smart rips CFP committee after Georgia's 31-17 thrashing of Tennessee: 'I don’t know what they’re looking for'
ATHENS, Ga. — Kirby Smart may enjoy the College Football Playoff, but it’s safe to say he isn’t a fan of the College Football Playoff committee. On two separate occasions after Saturday’s crucial 31-17 victory over Tennessee, Smart took a moment to castigate the committee’s decisionmaking and question its football acumen.
“I don’t know what they’re looking for. I really don’t,” said Smart, whose team was ranked 12th but effectively locked out of the playoffs after last week’s loss to Ole Miss. “I wish they could really define the criteria. I wish they could do the eyeball test where they come down here and look at the people we’re playing against and look at them.You can’t see that stuff on a TV.”
What the committee would have seen had they been at Sanford Stadium—and what 93,033 in the stands saw live—was a Georgia team that’s capable of healing itself on the fly, both in the middle of the season and in the middle of a game. If Wolverine wasn’t already aligned with another university, the Dawgs could claim him as an avatar.
“They’re not in that [in-game] environment,” Smart said in a press conference beneath the bleachers, as delirious Georgia fans celebrated outside. “They’re not at Ole Miss in that environment, playing against that defense, which is top five in the country … They don’t know that, they don’t understand that.”
“Their offense hasn’t been consistent, the committee discussed that, they’ve struggled with some turnovers,” CFP chairman Warde Manuel said last Tuesday in announcing the latest rankings. “Defense has been solid, although in the loss to Ole Miss, we felt that (inconsistent offense) plays a factor … with the offense struggling, their defense was on the field quite a bit.”
You can’t throw out red meat like that and expect Smart not to snap at it. “They’ll probably look at this week and say we just played against one of the best defenses in the country, and we put up 453 (yards of offense), and could have been more,” he said. “It’s just the tale of each week, and we’re trying to be the cumulative, whole, good quality team, and not be on this emotional rollercoaster that’s controlled by people in a room somewhere that may not understand football like we do as coaches.”
Whew. Got all that? Thing is, Smart has every reason to be sore—and every reason to believe that his team is absolutely one of the best in the country, regardless of what arbitrary week-to-week rankings say. Georgia smothered Tennessee, holding the Vols scoreless in the second half and containing the Vols in a way no other team has managed this year.
Assuming no further hiccups, two losses and their current trajectories ought to be enough for both Georgia and Tennessee to make the playoffs. Both teams are 8-2 overall, but the Bulldogs are finished with SEC play at 6-2, while UT falls to 5-2 in league with a game at Vanderbilt still to come.
The Georgia-Tennessee rivalry may not have the juice of, say, Georgia-Auburn or Tennessee-Alabama, but it’s fast becoming a matchup of heavyweights. Four of the last five games have featured both teams ranked in the top 20, and Saturday night was, in many ways, a playoff play-in. At stake: a potential SEC championship berth for Tennessee, a likely playoff berth for Georgia.
Early on, Georgia punter Brett Thorson — the only Bulldog who came out of the gate strong — unintentionally set the early mood for Georgia in the first half. The Dawgs had gone three-and-out on their opening series, Thorson punted the ball away, and a Tennessee player knocked him to the ground. Flags flew, and Thorson lay on his back, gloating, expecting a roughing-the-punter call that would give Georgia a fresh set of downs.
It wasn’t to be. The officials picked up the flags, ruling that the Tennessee player had been blocked into Thorson. And Tennessee would proceed to score a touchdown on its ensuing drive to take a 7-0 lead.
It was a pretty stark message: If Georgia wanted a victory over an initially feisty Vols team Saturday night, the Dawgs would have to earn it.
The status of each team’s starting quarterback dominated pregame talk. Would Nico Iamaleava be available after undergoing a reported concussion protocol? Would Carson Beck continue his slide from his Heisman Trophy candidacy into interception-slinging irrelevance?
The first half answered both questions fairly effectively. Iamaleava got the start and led the Vols on touchdown drives of 78 and 75 yards, with a field goal in between. Beck, meanwhile, came out firing, throwing 29 first-half passes. Sure, many of those passes flew high or wide, but that’s better than into enemy hands, right? Beck connected with tight end Oscar Delp — also known as Brock Bowers 2.0 — for two touchdowns and drove the Dawgs to a late first-half field goal.
Halfway home, the game was tied at 17, with no clear edge for either side.
Georgia struck first in the second half, with a very un-Carson Beck-like drive from Beck consuming 7:22 and covering 87 yards over 12 plays. Beck, who’s spent the last few weeks as the target of Georgia fans’ rage, appeared as composed and centered as he has all season on the drive, finding open men, eluding the Tennessee rush and guiding Georgia with a confidence he hadn’t shown in weeks. He took the ball into the end zone himself on the drive’s final play, scooting 10 yards to put Georgia ahead 24-17.
Tennessee’s offense, so reliable in the first half, sputtered and staggered in the second, punting on three consecutive possessions. Following a 2-yard touchdown run by Nate Frazier that gave the Bulldogs a 31-17 lead, Tennessee took over with 2:26 remaining in regulation but turned it over on downs with an Iamaleava fumble. The Vols’ offense was held lifeless for the final 30 minutes.
The final line on Beck: 347 yards on 25-of-40 attempts, with two touchdowns, plus 32 yards and a touchdown on the ground. After a week in which the outside world ripped Beck and the Georgia offense, it was some sweet redemption.
“Those guys, they took a lot of criticism from people, and really unwarranted, in my opinion,” Smart said.”’Cause it’s funny, when you talk to people that actually know football, they know how hard it is to play in that [SEC] environment.”
It’s a theme Smart has struck repeatedly this year: The SEC is a crucible. Every week is a battle. Losses here aren’t the same as losses elsewhere. It’s PR spin, sure, but it’s also got the ring of truth, especially when you see what a team like Georgia is capable of doing when everything is humming.
Georgia will rise in the next set of CFP rankings, but probably not high enough for Smart’s liking. Unless and until the committee comes and watches him play in person, he’s going to hold onto that grudge.
“I respect their decision. respect their opinion. But, I mean, it’s different in our league,” Smart said, and then added one little twist. “So … go Dawgs.”
And with that, he was gone, statement made.
Georgia
Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 13: Georgia football moves ahead of Ole Miss after beating Tennessee
ATHENS — Rankings are a sore subject for head coach Kirby Smart at the moment.
His Georgia team now sits at No. 8 in the Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 13. The Bulldogs moved up thanks to a 31-17 win over Tennesssee, who dropped from No. 4 to No. 11 in the rankings.
But after Saturday’s win, Smart voiced his displeasure with the College Football Playoff committee and how it ranks teams. Georgia fell from No. 3 to No. 12 after its previous loss to Ole Miss.
“I don’t know what they’re looking for. I really don’t,” Smart said. “I wish they could really define the criteria. I wish they could do the eyeball test where they come down here and look at the people we’re playing against and look at them. And you can’t see that stuff on TV. So I don’t know what they look for, but that’s for somebody else to decide. I’m worried about our team.”
The win for Georgia completes its portion of SEC play, as Georgia went 6-2. The Bulldogs have a win over No. 3 Texas, with the Longhorns being the highest-ranked team in the SEC.
But Georgia also has losses to No. 7 Alabama and No. 9 Ole Miss. Oregon maintained its No. 1 ranking, with Ohio State landing at No. 2. Penn State is No. 4 while Indiana is No. 5.
With the SEC schedule complete, Smart knows the most difficult portion of Georgia’s schedule is complete.
“I mean, everybody thinks we should win every game. I’m very proud of our team,” Smart said. “If you told me that this group would be this resilient, I would probably say I don’t doubt it, because they’re great kids. And they played the toughest schedule in our league, and we still got two games left of tough teams. Georgia Tech’s been a great team, and UMass has played three or four SEC teams already.”
Georgia hosts UMass this coming Saturday. The game is set for a 12:45 p.m. ET start, with SEC Network broadcasting the game.
As for the updated College Football Playoff rankings, those will debut on Tuesday.
You can see the full Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 13 below.
Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 13
- Oregon
- Ohio State
- Texas
- Penn State
- Indiana
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Ole Miss
- Miami
- Tennessee
- SMU
- Boise State
- Texas A&M
- BYU
- Clemson
- Army
- Colorado
- South Carolina
- Tulane
- Iowa State
- Arizona State
- UNLV
- Memphis
- Kansas State
ATHENS, Ga. − Tennessee football is likely on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff.
That’s the potential outcome from a 31-17 loss for No. 7 Tennessee (8-2, 5-2 SEC) to No. 12 Georgia (8-2, 6-2) at Sanford Stadium on Saturday.
Here are three overreactions from the loss:
Tennessee isn’t getting the CFP because it can’t score
Saturday was a win-and-in for Tennessee with the CFP. It’s more complicated now.
But what’s not complicated is Tennessee’s offense remains lousy and that is why the Vols likely won’t get into the 12-team field.
UT has an anchor because it lost 19-14 at lowly Arkansas. It couldn’t score then because it’s not a great offense. That’s why it is averaging 23.4 points in SEC play against a relatively favorable schedule. That has been abundantly clear on the road, which is where it would play if it gets in.
Yes, there still is a path for the Vols to reach the CFP. They have to win out to be in the mix. They might need help on top of that.
But what will happen if Tennessee gets in? It won’t score. The Vols have shown the playoff committee that and done nothing to change that perception. That’s why Tennessee is on the outside looking in.
The Vols offense is what it is and that’s because of the wide receivers
Tennessee has given a 10-game sample size of its offense now. The group is flawed and that is especially true on the perimeter.
Running back Dylan Sampson remains great and should get more All-American consideration that he seems to be getting. Other than that, there’s not much to file as a positive. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava has flashed greatness, but has been inconsistent. The offensive line isn’t reliable in pass protection.
The wide receivers are the biggest issue of all. The group lacks a game-breaker and Dont’e Thornton’s second-quarter drop was problematic Saturday. It is a bunch of WR2s and doesn’t have a player a team has to fear let alone respect.
Tennessee’s defensive front was overhyped
James Pearce Jr. broke through the Georgia offensive line in the third quarter, which seemed like the first time a Tennessee player got near Georgia QB Carson Beck. But Beck was already scrambling out of the pocket and heading for a 10-yard touchdown.
The Vols couldn’t pressure Beck at all Saturday, which gave the quarterback ample opportunity to make throws. His ability to make plays with his feet was more concerning. Those plays hurt the Vols as much as any Saturday.
UT had two tackles for loss and no sacks.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
Troy’s season-long improvement continued on Saturday, resulting in a 28-20 victory at Georgia Southern.
Matthew Caldwell passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more for the Trojans, who won their second straight game. Troy (3-7, 2-4 Sun Belt Conference) outscored the homestanding Eagles 21-10 in the second half, knocking them out of first place in the Sun Belt East Division.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” first-year Troy coach Gerad Parker said in his post-game interview on ESPN+. “I hold back tears and everybody called me soft, but this is an emotional game.
“We’ve been at the depths of hell (at) the start of this year. When you visit a place like that, there’s only one choice. You got to get your team out of it and have belief from these guys. … These guys have been unbelievable. Our staff and our players, how they’ve been resilient at all tells you something that’s good about college football.”
Caldwell’s 2-yard touchdown run gave Troy the lead for good at 21-17 with 13:34 left in the game. After the Eagles (6-4, 4-2) pulled within 21-20 on Gavin Stewart’s 45-yard field goal with 10:34 to play, the Trojans killed most of the clock with a 16-play, 75-yard drive ending in Caldwell’s 1-yard run and an eight-point lead with 2:32 remaining.
Caldwell ended the game 26-for-32 for 288 yards and two touchdowns, a 6-yarder to Brody Dalton in the second quarter and a 4-yarder to Devonte Ross in the third. The Trojans outgained the Eagles 441 yards to 246, with ill-timed penalties contributing to the first three Georgia Southern scores.
Georgia Southern went up 7-0 late in the first, with Josh Dallas scoring on a 4-yard run. That drive was kept alive by five Troy penalties, including a pass interference call in the red zone.
Stewart’s 21-yard field goal gave the Eagles a 10-7 lead at the half. After Troy went up 14-10 on Caldwell’s second TD pass, Georgia Southern took back the lead at 21-17 on Jalen White’s 1-yard run with 2:34 left in the third.
Georgia Southern never came close to tying the game in the final minutes, as Justin Powe’s diving interception gave Troy the ball back at the Eagles’ 48 with 1:56 left. Caldwell connected with Dalton on a 23-yard pass to convert third-and-7 and help run out the clock.
Ross caught 10 passes for 95 yards, while Damien Taylor ran for 92 yards on 18 carries. Gerald Green added a 33-yard run to help set up a touchdown, with tight ends Dalton and Ethan Conner combined for six receptions for 87 yards.
Troy went 11-for-14 on the third down in the game and ran 73 plays to just 48 for Georgia Southern. Linebacker Jordan Stringer led the Troy defensive effort with seven tackles and a sack, while freshman linebacker Jabril McNeil had two tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry.
Troy began the season 1-7, but beat Coastal Carolina 38-24 on Nov. 2 before its bye week. Since halftime of a 34-31 loss to Arkansas State on Oct. 26, the Trojans have outscored their opponents 82-55.
“They played team football and played for Troy and each other,” Parker said. “They’re starting to really feel that together and it feels great to sleep, but I’m just so happy for our guys.”
Troy is back in action at Louisiana next Saturday. That game kicks off at 4 p.m. and will be streamed live via ESPN+.
Nevada vs. Air Force football odds and betting trends | 11/23/2024
New Hampshire high school teacher arrested for alleged sex trafficking attempt
‘A sizable impact’: How Trump’s mass deportations could affect New Mexico’s workforce, economy
New York man killed in North Jersey rollover crash
NC Lottery Lucky For Life, Pick 3 Day results for Nov. 17, 2024
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Trump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
Protesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
Gaetz-gate: Navigating the President-elect's most baffling Cabinet pick
Library of Congress email system hacked earlier this year by 'foreign adversary'
Pope Francis urges inquiry into Gaza genocide allegations
-
Culture1 week agoThe NFL is heading to Germany – and the country has fallen for American football
-
Business1 week agoRef needs glasses? Not anymore. Lasik company offers free procedures for referees
-
Sports1 week agoAll-Free-Agent Team: Closers and corner outfielders aplenty, harder to fill up the middle
-
News6 days agoHerbert Smith Freehills to merge with US-based law firm Kramer Levin
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25724877/Super_Nintendo_World.png "The next Nintendo Direct is all about Super Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country")
Technology1 week agoThe next Nintendo Direct is all about Super Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country
-
Business5 days ago
Column: OpenAI just scored a huge victory in a copyright case … or did it?
-
Health5 days agoBird flu leaves teen in critical condition after country's first reported case
-
Business1 day agoColumn: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
